Dr. Nikos Solounias is the preeminent expert in modern and paleo ungulate anatomy and biology. He has over 30 years of experience in the research and teaching of mammalian anatomy and evolution.
He has published over 70 articles peer-reviewed journals (link to Publications), been awarded 4 NSF grants, traveled the world to work with colleagues and institutions, and has even been on several TV programs (link to Events).
Dr. Solounias's focuses include:
Nikos Solounias is also a passionate educator. Since 1975 he has been involved with the education of student in the fields of biology and geology. In the biological disciplines, he has taught anatomy, embryology, evolution, mammalogy, vertebrate paleontology, and zoology. In the geological disciplines, he has taught historical geology, tectonics and sedimentary rocks, Mediterranean geology, and Geomorphology.
Nikos Solounias received his B.S. in Biology from Cornell University in 1971. He earned degrees of M.A. in Biology-Embryology from Clark University in 1973. His Ph. D. was in Geology-Paleontology from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1979. He had postdoctoral positions at Yale, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins universities. He studied anatomy and embryology at the Harvard Medical School.
| Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, MD 1985-1986. |
| Post-Doctoral Fellow, Peabody Museum, Harvard University Cambridge, MA., 1981-1982. |
| Post-Doctoral Fellow, Division of Vertebrate Paleontology, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, CT 1980-1981. |
| Ph.D., Geological Sciences (vertebrate paleontology) University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 1979. |
| M.A., Genetics and Developmental Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA 1973. |
| B.S., Biology (evolutionary biology), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 1971. |
Dr. Solounias's research interests lie in the areas of anatomy, embryology, comparative anatomy, paleoecology of the Miocene and paleontology. He has developed three systems of deciphering the diet of extinct animals (light microscope microwear, tooth mesowear 1, 2 and 3). He has studied the origin and changes of savannas since the Miocene.
Dr. Solounias has been awarded four NSF and one Leakey Foundation grants.
His current efforts are in the anatomy and evolution of the horse and giraffe families. He has researched fossil and extant mammals in 20 natural history museums in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa. He has excavated for fossil mammals in Tunisia, Greece, Kenya and Pakistan. The investigations address questions about anatomy, evolution, dietary adaptation, biodiversity and the history of mammals.
He frequently has students research with him. He appreciates their energy and knowledge and provides a friendly work environment. He provides research in both teaching-education and in natural history.
Link to Research Page
Link to Publications
Dr. Solounias taught geology and paleontology classes at the University of Colorado and University of Hartford. He contributed in the teaching comparative anatomy at Harvard. He also taught natural history and anatomy at the Talcott Mountain Science Center. He subsequently taught gross anatomy at The Johns Hopkins as a Research Fellow. He joined the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1991. He was awarded the Presidential Standard of Excellence Award in 2008. Solounias is also interested in the education of anatomical sciences and is working with NYIT students.
English (fluent), Greek (fluent), French, elementary Italian and German
| Professor at the Department of Anatomy at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY |
| Research Associate, Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, NY |
| Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 1994-2006 |
| Course Director of human anatomy, medical genetics, and embryology, at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 1994-2000 |
| Research Associate, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, (human anatomy, embryology), The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 1986-1990 |
| Instructor, Department of Anatomy, (human anatomy), College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, D. C. 1990 |
| Science teacher, (biology, geology, meteorology), Renbrook School, West Hartford, CT 1984-1985 |
| Adjunct Faculty, University of Hartford, Hartford, CT 1982-1984 |
| Director of Research, Science teacher for gifted children, (biology, ecology, human evolution, geology, zoology), Talcott Mountain Science Center, Avon, CT 1982-1984 |
| Lecturer, (human evolution, field, historical, and physical geology, geomorphology), University of Hartford, Hartford, CT 1982-1984 |
| Lecturer, (vertebrate paleontology), Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 1982 |
| Lecturer, (biogeography, community evolution, paleoecology, paleontology), Yale University, New Haven, CT 1981 |
| Lecturer, (historical geology, vertebrate paleontology), University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 1978-1979 |
| Teaching Assistant, (general biology), University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 1976-1977 |
| Teaching Assistant, (comparative vertebrate anatomy, genetics, invertebrate paleontology), Clark University, Worcester, MA 1972-1973 |